Fingerprint test set to simplify drug testing across oil and gas

Created: Friday, 03 August 2018 06:20

Fingerprint test is a new and simple way of drug testing across oil and gas industries. (Image source: JohanSwanepoel/AdobeStock )Intelligent Fingerprinting, the UK-based developer of the world’s first fingerprint-based drug test, has introduced portable drug testing solution based on fingerprint technology for the oil and gas industry

The new end-to-end system features an initial drug screening test that works by analysing sweat from a fingerprint to determine if an employee or sub-contractor has recently used cocaine, opiates, amphetamines or cannabis.

Sample collection takes about five seconds with simultaneous screening results for all four drug groups in ten minutes on-site.

Dr Paul Yates of Intelligent Fingerprinting, said, “With almost one in 10 UK workers admitting to recent drug use and 16 per cent of UK employers reporting that they have had suspicions about staff members being under the influence of drugs, it is clear that drug misuse remains a serious concern when it comes to health and safety in the workplace.”

The solution aims to support ongoing health and safety and duty of care obligations across the oil and gas industry’s potentially dangerous working environments.

Unlike traditional blood, urine or saliva-based drug tests which can be invasive, time-consuming and undignified for testers and employees, the portable Intelligent Fingerprinting drug testing solution is convenient, hygienic and quick to deploy wherever it is needed.

As no specialist medical or sample collection facilities are needed, the test can be easily conducted on-site on and offshore oil rig or a remote gas pipeline location and used to randomly test across an organisation’s workforce or their extended contractor network.

“That’s particularly the case across the oil and gas industry where health and safety is of heightened importance because of increased exposure to risk in offshore or remote locations. Additionally, with employees often working away from home for long periods without the support of their families, employers need to ensure that their duty of care obligations extend to protecting staff from the risks of drug abuse at work,” Yates added.